Vice President Kamala Harris wants to address the mortality rate of Black mothers in the United States. And because pregnant Black women face higher rates of mortality than other races do during pregnancy and the postpartum period, it is an issue that needs to be confronted head-on immediately.
In an essay written exclusively for Blavity, entitled, Dear Black Women, Harris states that "Black women in this country are facing a maternal mortality crisis."
For most, this is simply because Black women are not being listened to by healthcare professionals when they voice concerns.
The lack of empathy, compassion, or just plain listening comes from "systemic racial inequities and implicit bias" those in the medical field have when it comes to pregnant Black women, according to the essay.
And even though those in the healthcare field may not be aware of their implicit bias, what they are exuding is racism and that is killing many Black expecting women at an alarming rate.
According to Harris, pregnant Black women die at "three times the rate of other women." The National Center for Health Statistics states the same, with Black women experiencing 37.3 deaths for every 100,000 births, versus 14.9 deaths for White women and 11.8 for Hispanic women.
To put this in perspective, according to lohud, White women make up 60 percent of the US population. Black women make up 13 percent. The rates of death during pregnancy are remarkably similar, however. White women's pregnancy mortality rate from 2006 to 2017 was just over 2,700. During that same period, just over 2,400 Black women succumbed to pregnancy-related complications.
Further still, according to Harris, it does not matter what the socio-economic level or education level is of Black women. They still die at higher rates than other races during pregnancy.
To emphasize this point, Harris invited a group of Black women to the White House recently to share their experiences of being Black and pregnant in America. While there were similarities weaved throughout the stories, the one thing that stuck out to Harris was that "Black women are not being heard," per Blavity.
It is because of implicit bias that Black women can tell doctors something is wrong with them and be dismissed, according to Harris.
In her essay, Harris said that her Maternal CARE Act was written specifically to "reduce medical errors made as a result of implicit bias." This will be done through implicit bias training for those in the healthcare field.
Harris asks that those who have gone through trauma while pregnant tell their story to "end Black maternal mortality," per Blavity.
People need to hear and understand what many Black women face when they are expecting and no longer let it be swept under the rug.
When Black women tell their stories, Harris said it allows for "healing." She encourages Black women to listen to others who have similar stories to gain strength from them and know they are "not alone."
Harris promises in her essay that she and President Joe Biden "are listening" to what Black women are saying about their maternal health experiences and that the two will be there to "fight right alongside" them to end the excessive mortality rate Black women face today.
Source: Blavity, Romper, National Center for Health Statistics, lohud